The present invention relates to compositions comprising one or more polymeric suds volume and suds duration enhances which are mild on the users skin. The polymeric suds enhances are suitable for use in methods which in use as compositions light duty liquid, LDL compositions, hand dishwashing compositions, laundry bars, personal cleansing compositions and the like.
In formulating detergent compositions which will foreseeable contact the users skin, such as Light-duty liquid or gel dishwashing detergent compositions laundry bars, personal cleansing compositions (such as shampoos and body washes) and the like the problem of mildness is of major concern. Furthermore, the formulator must also produce a composition which provides adequate cleaning for the desired end use. However, it is well know that the best cleaning surfactants, such as the anionic surfactants, for example LAS, AS etc., irritate the users skin. The alternative has been to use surfactants which do not irritate the users skin, however these are typically not the bets cleaning surfactants available. The formulator is presented with the difficult task of resolving these two seemingly conflicting, properties.
Consequently, their remains the need for a detergent composition which can have the best possible cleaning while being mild enough for prolonged contact with users skin.
It has now en found that the suds boosting polymers described herein when added to a added to a detergent composition improves the mildness of the composition, even those compositions containing harsh surfactants, and surprisingly improves skin mildness.
The present invention meets the aforementioned needs in that it has been surprisingly discovered that certain polymers serve not only as suds duration and suds volume extenders, but also enhance the mildness of a detergent composition. The effective polymers of the present invention provide both increased suds volume and suds duration when formulated in a detergent composition.
A first aspect of the present invention relates to a method for manually cleaning an object, preferably tableware, such as plates, glasses, flatware etc., fabrics, such as clothing, bed linen, carpets, etc., skin or hair, comprising contacting a user""s hands with a washing solution comprising water and a detergent composition in which suds produced by the solution is maintained for an extended period of time by a polymeric suds stabilizer, said suds stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of:
(a) polymers comprising at least one monomeric unit of the formula: 
xe2x80x83wherein each of R1, R2 and R3 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1 to C6 alkyl, and mixtures thereof; L is selected from the group consisting of a bond, O, NR6, SR7R8 and mixtures thereof, wherein R6 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1 to C8 alkyl and mixtures thereof; each of R7 and R8 are independently hydrogen, O, C1 to C8 alkyl and mixtures thereof, or SR7R8 form a heterocyclic ring containing from 4 to 7 carbon atoms, optionally containing additional hetero atoms and optionally substituted; Z is selected from the group consisting of: xe2x80x94(CH2)xe2x80x94, (CH2xe2x80x94CHxe2x95x90CH)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(CH2xe2x80x94CHOH)xe2x80x94, (CH2xe2x80x94CHNR6)xe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(CH2xe2x80x94CHR14xe2x80x94O)xe2x80x94 and mixtures thereof; wherein R14 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1 to C6 alkyl and mixtures thereof; z is an integer selected from about 0 to about 12; A is NR4R5, wherein each of R4 and R5 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1 to C8 alkyl, and mixtures thereof, or NR4R5 form an heterocyclic ring containing from 4 to 7 carbon atoms, optionally containing additional hetero atoms, optionally fused to a benzene ring, and optionally substituted by C1 to C8 hydrocarbyl; and wherein said polymeric suds stabilizer has a molecular weight of from about 1,000 to about 2,000,000 daltons;
(b) a proteinaceous suds stabilizer, said proteinaceous suds stabilizer having an isoelectric point of from about 7 to about 11.5; and
(c) a zwitterionic polymeric suds stabilizer;
wherein said method further including the step of washing the object with said solution; and wherein said suds stabilizer is a, mild, suds enhancing, suds stabilizer such that a user""s hands, after submersion in a solution containing said suds stabilizer, are not irritated.
A second aspect of the present invention relates to a method of enhancing mildness of a detergent composition comprising a surfactant system comprising an anionic surfactant or a mixture of anionic surfactants which method comprises adding a polymeric suds stabilizer to said composition, wherein said polymeric suds stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of:
(a) polymers comprising at least one monomeric unit of the formula: 
xe2x80x83wherein each of R1, R2, R3, L, Z, z and A are as hereinbefore defined; and wherein said polymeric suds stabilizer has a molecular weight of from about 1,000 to about 2,000,000 daltons;
(b) a proteinaceous suds stabilizer, said proteinaceous suds stabilizer having an isoelectric point of from about 7 to about 11.5; and
(c) a zwitterionic polymeric suds stabilizer;
A third aspect of the present invention relates to a method of cleaning the skin while avoiding the harsh effects on the skin of an anionic surfactant by washing the skin with the composition comprising a polymeric suds stabilizer selected from the group consisting of:
(a) polymers comprising at least one monomeric unit of the formula: 
xe2x80x83wherein each of R1, R2, R3, L, Z, z and A are as hereinbefore defined; and wherein said polymeric suds stabilizer has a molecular weight of from about 1,000 to about 2,000,000 daltons;
(b) a proteinaceous suds stabilizer, said proteinaceous suds stabilizer having an isoelectric point of from about 7 to about 11.5; and
(c) a zwitterionic polymeric suds stabilizer;
A fourth aspect of the present invention relates to a method for manually cleaning an object comprising contacting a user""s hands with a washing solution comprising water and a detergent composition in which suds produced by the solution is maintained for an extended period of time by a suds stabilizer, said suds stabilizer comprising
i) units capable of having a cationic charge at a pH of from about 4 to about 12;
provided that said suds stabilizer has an average cationic charge density of at least about 0.01 units per 100 daltons molecular weight at a pH of from about 4 to about 12; and
wherein said method further including the step of washing the object with said solution; and wherein said suds stabilizer is a, mild, suds enhancing, suds stabilizer such that a user""s hands, after submersion in a solution containing said suds stabilizer, are not irritated.
A fifth aspect of the present invention relates to a method of enhancing mildness of a detergent composition comprising a surfactant system comprising an anionic surfactant or a mixture of anionic surfactants which method comprises adding a polymeric suds stabilizer to said composition, wherein said polymeric suds stabilizer comprising:
i) units capable of having a cationic charge at a pH of from about 4 to about 12;
provided that said suds stabilizer has an average cationic charge density of at least about 0.01 units per 100 daltons molecular weight at a pH of from about 4 to about 12;
A sixth aspect of the present invention relates to a method of cleaning the skin while avoiding the harsh effects on the skin of an anionic surfactant by washing the skin with the composition comprising an effective amount of a polymeric suds stabilizer, said polymeric suds stabilizer comprising:
i) units capable of having a cationic charge at a pH of from about 4 to about 12;
provided that said suds stabilizer has an average cationic charge density of at least about 0.01 units per 100 daltons molecular weight at a pH of from about 4 to about 12;
These and other aspects, features and advantages will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the following detailed description and the appended claims.
In the description of the invention various embodiments and/or individual features are disclosed. As will be apparent for the skilled practitioner all combinations of such embodiments and features are possible and can result in preferred executions of the invention.
All percentages, ratios and proportions herein are by weight, unless otherwise specified. All temperatures are in degrees Celsius (xc2x0 C.) unless otherwise specified. All documents cited are in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference.